“Iodum comes from the Greek word for “violet.” In fact, this element gives off violet-colored vapors when it burns. Violet, a mixture of red and blue, is the incarnation of temperance, red representing impulsive force and blue the calm of the sea and the sky. Violet is the symbol of a spiritual transfusion; it is the color of submission and obedience. It is the passage from yang to yin. Iodum has forgotten temperance and is consumed in the flames of excess.”

Grandgeorge, The Spirit of Homeopathic Medicines

Iodium has definite affinity to glands, mucous membranes, heart, skin and nerves. Its leading modality is the aggravation from heat, especially in room; and the corresponding amelioration from cold air and cold bathing. This remedy’s been used by homeopaths of all times for scrofula; dirty yellow complexion; emaciation, especially in children. Excitable, restless and impulsive people usually need Iodium. Both patient and symptoms grow slow and sluggish. Iodium patient has ravenous appetite but cannot assimilate the received nutrients. In spite of eating so much they ‘burn’ everything and go emaciated and weak. Their ailments come after mental or emotional shock. Another marked feature of Iodium is the tremendous weakness and shortness of breath when ascending stairs. Clinically the remedy is mainly indicated in hypertrophy or atrophy of glands, catarrhal affections of the mucous membranes, and tuberculosis.

Case of Iodium| Recurrent Pulmorary Phthysis

Mr. D was a businessman in his late 40s, a family friend. He worked from Monday to Sunday and from dawn to nightfall. His job was everything for him. The longstanding digestive problems he had suffered from about 10 years failed to make him change his way of life.

His contacts with doctors were very rare because they were ‘eating’ from his business time. Mr. D smoked 1 pack of cigarettes a day; drank at least 5 coffees and had a meal only once per day. He also liked the taste of alcohol and used to drink ‘rakia’ at dinner with his wife. At that time he was good looking, tall and fairly good physique, with excellent appetite and taste for fine food.

In the spring of 2011 Mr. D was swooped by one of his usual paroxysms of pain in the stomach area; only this time pain was so violent and accompanied by severe vomiting; so he agreed to search for help. The diagnosis was acute attack of chronic pancreatitis, newly discovered diabetes and one inch long cyst into the head of pancreas. The treatment offered by allopathy was surgery for the cyst, therapy with insulin shots for the diabetes and diet, together with many other chemical medications.

Then the wife of Mr. D turned to me for advice but he did not agree to homeopathic treatment. He did not believe in Homeopathy. He decided to postpone the surgery, and meanwhile to stop the alcohol and to start the diet and the insulin therapy. Notwithstanding physical weakness, he proceeded to the long planned construction of his new house without interrupting his working rhythm.

So a year passed, during which Mr. D was becoming more and more emaciated and dried, clothes were hanging from his body. Dry cough appeared more and more often. His sleep became interrupted; the digestion became ineffectual without taking external pills containing enzymes. Heaviness in stomach and abdomen distension appeared right after he had eaten something, weakness occurred suddenly at any time. His colleagues were frequently seeing him failing to resist the deowsiness, and napping with head leaned to his desk.

In May 2012 Mr. D agreed with the insistence of his wife and consulted with pulmonary specialist about his cough. The doctor diagnosed him with active pulmonary tuberculosis in the middle lobe of the left lung. After 3 months of triple antibiotics treatment in hospital, doctors told Mr. D that the active phase was successfully suppressed but from now on he must remain on antibiotic treatment for another six months under the custody of the specialized state dispensary for prevention of tuberculosis.

In the late fall of 2013 his health took turn to the worse. All previous complaints were back but this time he was considerably weaker, with dry cough, regular chills and night sweats. He still didn’t want to try homeopathic treatment and took another course of some antibiotics. Thus things remained until March 2014 when, forced by his impeded respiration, tremendous weakness and constant dry cough which did not allow him to sleep, Mr. D went to see his general physician. Terrified only by the look of his patient, the doctor immediately sent him to the pulmonary clinic. Tuberculosis had returned, with infiltration and caverns in both lungs. Most affected were the middle lobes of both lungs and the lower lobe of the left lung.

Phthisiatrician’s prognosis was inauspicious. They were astounded by such advancement of the disease in a person who had excellent living conditions. Honestly they told Mr. D that his life was endangered because his organism had been weakened to uttermost degree; and that secondary development of the disease was very bad sign. Doctors took him back in hospital but this time for at least 6 months because they didn’t presume any substantial amelioration could occur earlier.

At this point Mr. D thought his end had now come. He finally abided to my plea to try homeopathy, together with the antibiotics. Thus I visited him in the hospital on 6th of April 2014 and started his treatment. The presenting picture at that time was following:

The remedy I prescribed was Iodium in potency LM 1. Treatment started immediately, he took the remedy every day.

After three weeks he began to feel his energy coming back; his sleep was better, the night cough receded; during the day it became rarer and more productive. He began to talk, to make jokes. Still his digestion was doing him trouble. Remedy continued.

At May 9th the X-ray showed improvement in the right lung; his sedimentation rate had dropped from above 130 to 96 mm/h. Still his breathing was difficult and he was saying that he cannot completely fill his lungs with air; this complaint was the most suborn one, and the last that stepped back, at the end of May, and after I raised the potency to LM 2.

Fifty days after the beginning of homeopathic treatment, at May 30th 2014, Mr. D gave negative result on the microbiological test; and erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 52 mm/h. His doctors did not trust this result, took another sample and sent it to an independent laboratory. Second sample showed same result. The X-ray showed closure of caverns. After one more month, on July 2nd 2014 Mr. D was set free from hospital. Till today he is still under homeopathic treatment for his glandular problems – pancreas and liver. He is successfully tending to his business from home, spending more time with his family, moderately gaining weight. No sign of tuberculosis.

Ads by Google

NRS on Facebook

Find Your Remedy

This page guides to discriptive articles about prescribing and to short repertories for acute prescription in common upper respiratory, throat, laryngeal and gastro-intestinal disorders. It is guidance through the process of homeopathic prescription in acute diseases. The idea is to be able to identify your own acute remedy and manage the acute affection on your own, at least in simple cases.

Herbs & Tea

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.